Fiddler Preston Wait knew when he signed on with his band leader that the singer was determined to make it. But he had no idea that signing on to The Josh Abbott Band would take him around the country in just a few short years.

At her first gigs, blues singer Missy Andersen would get so terrified that her mouth would completely go dry. "Sometimes, my upper lip would get stuck on my teeth," Andersen said. "That's not a good look, especially when you're singing a sad song."

Even Chase Spruiell isn't exactly certain why his band is named Free Kittens & Bread. Sure, he knows the direct inspiration - a sign he found once while driving around his hometown, the small Dallas suburb of Princeton.

More than 15 years ago, the musicians behind indie duo Miss Shevaughn & Yuma Wray dated briefly after meeting at a Washington, D.C., hip-hop club. "By briefly, I mean a couple of weeks," said Erin Frisby, the first half of the unusually named duo.

Since returning to her hometown almost three years ago, singer Maggie Burt has performed with some of the top musicians in town. Moreover, there’s hardly a music venue in town where she hasn’t performed, so when we got together for an interview over three rounds of drinks (an idea shamelessly borrowed from Entertainment Weekly), we had to stretch to think of a spot where we wouldn’t be interrupted by folks that knew her.

Tulia native Marshal Dutton's not aware of any rock stars from his hometown. Any other ones, at least. Dutton's making a case for being one himself, though, after joining Oklahoma City-based rock band Hinder full time this year.

Texas country singer Parker McCollum isn't afraid of harsh criticism. In fact, he grew up with it. McCollum's older brother and part-time co-writer Tyler is the driving force behind the young singer's burgeoning career.